Design and fluid-structure interaction analysis of a micromachined cantilever-based differential pressure flow sensor

Abstract

A micromachined cantilever-based flow sensor is designed based on differential pressure. Numerical analysis and analogue simulation are used to investigate the FSI (fluid-structure interaction) characteristics of the differential pressure flow sensor. The FSI model is created using the hydromechanics and elastic mechanics, and a systematic theory is established to complete the numerical analysis. Then the working mechanism of the flow sensor is analysed depending on the FSI results. The analogue simulation is undertaken by the commercial software FLUENT and ANSYS. The result of the numerical analysis is similar to that of the analogue simulation. Considering the results of the numerical analysis and the analogue simulation, the shape and size of the flow sensor are optimised. Moreover, the optimised flow sensor is fabricated and calibrated. The calibration results show that the cantilever-based differential pressure flow sensor achieves ideal static characteristics and works well in practical applications.